Building blocks



Jan. 1, 1935.

INVEN TOR Ma's/fun an @WW, I

Patented Jan. 1, 1:935

1 mm .sTA Es PATENT. OFFICE Claims. ;(Cl. 4 5) This" invention relates to building blocks and particularly to a system of blocks preferably of wood for assembling miniature building structures of diflerent types with all of the principal 5 parts interlocked and with the assembling means therefor concealed.

An object of the present invention is to provide blocks preferably of wood and conforming to a rectangular unit system, the unit blocks having means for interconnection with other blocks upon all sides, the interconnecting means being concealed when the blocks are assembled.

' And a still further object of the invention is to provide covering or concealing strips for association with grouped unit blocks so that assembled groupsof blocks of diilferent types mayhave their edge surfaces given a finished appearance. It will be understood that a number of the unit blocks may begrouped to form walls of a struc- 20 ture, the walls being disposed at angles to each other by means of supplementary blocks of smaller cross section than the unit or principal blocks, these supplementary or rimner blocks having interconnecting means for attachment to other blocks upon oneor more of their sides.

With the above and other objects in view my invention includes the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

' In the accompanying drawing annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, I have shown my invention embodied in a small set of wooden blocks but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise. embodied and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

. In the drawing: 1

Figure 1' is a typical assembly built of the blocks forming the present invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are a mid-section and side elevational views respectively of the unit blocks forming part of the invention.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are end, front and side views respectively of a cover strip forming part of the present invention.

Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional views of an assembly of unit blocks with auxiliary blocks.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are front, side and end views respectively of a locking strip, and I Figs. 12-and 13 are end views of interlocking members.

55 In .the above mentioned drawing, I have shown but one complete set of blocks forming an em bodiment of the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from 5 the spirit of the invention.

Briefly, andv in its preferred aspect my invention may include the following principal parts: First, a number of unitblocks square in outline and of uniform thickness having dovetail grooves 10 within each end surface and extending completely around its periphery; second, interlocking auxiliary blocks as long as the unit blocks -and having a square cross section, the sides of which are equal to the thickness of the unit blocks and 15 having dovetail grooves lengthwise within one or more side surfaces; third, strips having a cross section of double dovetail form adapted to enter grooves of juxtaposed unit and auxiliary blocks, and fourth, cover strips adapted to be positioned adjacent other blocks and interlocked therewith. Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing, I show in Fig. 1 a typical assembly of members forming the set of building blocks, the unit members 10 of which are disposed to form intersecting walls. As shown, these unit blocks 10 have opposite parallel faces preferably flat and smoothly finished. Extending entirely around the blocks and cut into their edge surfaces are dovetail grooves 11. These grooves 11 are centrally disposed between opposite sides so that the unit blocks 10 may be placed. in position with either facev in alignment with the faces of adjacent blocks. To interlock adjacent blocks 10 together locking strips 12 are slidably entered within grooves 11 along adjacent surfaces of the blocks. Preferably the locking strips 12 are substantially the same length as the sides of the blocks 10 or may be substantially as long as multiples of the blocks 10. To permit locking strips to be provided in directions normal to each other the strips must be shorter than the sides of the blocks 10 so that the strips will not extend into intercepting grooves. In this manner walls of extended length and composed of blocks 10 may have their blocks rigidly locked together in both directions. The strips should therefore have a length equal to the distance from one side of a block to the other or from one side to the other of a group of blocks when measured from the smaller blocks 13 are preferably as long as sides :of the unit blocks and in cross section are .or four sides.

square and of the same dimension as the thickness of the unit blocks 10. On one or more of the sides of these smaller corner or runner blocks 13 are dovetail grooves 11 similar in every way to those provided on the unit blocks 10. In any set of blocks made according to the present invention runner or auxiliary blocks 13 would be provided some of which had grooves extending longitudinally upon but one side, others having grooves upon two sides and so onl With these different forms of runner blocks 13 unit blocks 10 may be added to others either in alignment therewith or at a right angle thereto on one or more sides of the runner blocks. The surfaces of the runner blocks 13 nothaving unit blocks 10 interlocked therewith will be uninterrupted by grooves 11 and their surfaces will form continuations of the sides of the unit blocks 10. The opposite ends also of the runner blocks 13 or some of them may be provided with dovetail grooves as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 so that locking strips 12 may be inserted within aligned grooves of unit and runner blocks forming a wal In order to give a finished appearance to exposed end surfaces of the unit blocks 10 and to simulate the trim about asshown in the drawing, there are provided cover strips 14. These strips 14 are preferably as long as a side of one or more unit blocks 10 and as wide as the thickness of a unit block. on one face of the strips 14 is provided a dovetail projection 15 as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Preferably and as shown in these figures the projection 15 may be cut of! a short distance from one end of the cover strips 14 so that this portion of the strip may extend over the end surface of one of the runner blocks 13 unprovided with a dovetail roove.

By various combinations of unit blocks 10, run-- ner blocks 13 and locking strips 12 structures may be built up of any configuration and representing various types of structures and methods of building. It will be understood that various numbers of the different blocks a set and that some but one side provided others may have grooves provided on two, three Also in building a large number of unit blocks 10 into a flat surfaced wall the interlocking strips 12 may be extended from end to end thereof, some long strips'being provided for that purpose.

What I claim is: 1. A set of building blocks comprising in combination, unit blocks of square outline the opposite faces of which are plane and parallel to each other, said blocks having dovetail grooves upon. all of their edge faces, runner blocks having similar grooves within some of their sides,

10, 12, 13 and 14 may form of the blocks13 may have door ways, windows, etc.., end surface of a block.

with a dovetail groove while interlocking members" engaging within said grooves within adjacent blocks, and covering strips having dovetail projections upon one side only and entering a dovetail groove and adapted to cover the end surfaces of blocks whereby assemblies of built up in permanent forms. 7

2. In combination with a set of building blocks having dovetail grooves within the'end surfaces of individual unit blocks thereof, of cover strips adapted to be disposed adjacent the end surfaces of an aligned series of said strips having integral dovetail proiections adapt ed to interengage with aligned grooves within said blocks, and interlocking strips having projections adapted to enter opposed grooves in adjacent blocks whereby mblies of said blocks and strips may be built up in permanent form.

3. In combination with a set of building blocks having dovetail grooves'wi each of the end surfaces of individual unit blocks thereof, of elongated interlocking strips engaging within aligned dovetail grooves in adjacent blocks to retain said unit blocks in assembled -positions, and cover strips-engaging within grooves within adjacent unit blocks and extending closely adjacent the 4. A set of building blocks comprising in combination, unit blocks having dovetail grooves within each of their and surfaces, runner blocks having similar grooves extending lengthwise withinsome of their side surfaces, interlocking means engaging grooves within adjacent unit and 'runner blocks to retain them in assembled positions, and cover strips having a length equal to a plurality of unit blocks and adaptedto engage aligned grooves in adjacent blocks.

5. A set of building blocks comprising in combination, rectangular unit blocks of uniform thickness having'dovetail grooves in their end surfaces, runner blocks having similar grooves a plurality of unit said blocks may be blocks, said cover extending lengthwise on some of their side surfaces, interlocking means engaging grooves within adjacent blocks to retain them in assembled positions, and cover strips engaging grooves within said blocks and extending over adjacent end surfaces of a, plurality of said unit and runner blocks.

6. A'set of building blocks comprising in, combination, unit blocks of uniform dimensions having dovetail grooves about theirperipheries, runner blocks having similar grooves ,extending lengthwise on some of their side surfaces and transversely of their ends, interlocking means engaging grooves within adjacent blocks to retain them in assembled positions, and cover strips engaging grooves within blocks and extending over :adjacent end surfaces of said unit and end blocks.

MILTON E. HAYMAN. 

